Use of Anti-Snoring Devices for Sleep Apnea Is on the Rise
As people get older and fatter, the tendency to snore or have sleep apnea increases. These problems have contributed to the increase in the use of anti-snoring devices to help breathing and reduce snoring.  Sleeping problems can not only cause disruption in a household, but can lead to serious health problems in the future.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
It is estimated that roughly 4% of the population has sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing continually while you sleep. Symptoms are generally characterized by gasping or choking during the night or snoring like a freight train. If left untreated, it can lead to strokes, heart disease and hypertension.
How Can You Treat Sleep Apnea?
For those who have sleep apnea, there are several anti-snoring devices that have gained in popularity in recent years. For those with mild to moderate sleep apnea, one of the most popular anti-snoring devices is the anti-snoring mouthpiece. This mouthpiece is molded to your teeth and pulls the jaw forward, opening up a person’s airway so they can breathe. Cost can range anywhere from $30 to over a $1000 for a mouthpiece that is custom fitted in a dentist’s office. One of the reasons the anti snoring mouthpiece has seen an increase in sales is because of its effectiveness and ease of use.
CPAP Devices for Sleep Apnea
For those with severe sleep apnea, the CPAP or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Device is generally the most viable option out of all the other anti snoring devices. About $2 billion worth of these devices are sold annually, and the sales continue to rise especially amongst those over the age of 55. CPAPs are also the seventh-largest category of Medicare’s medical equipment budget.
One of the reasons it has grown in popularity is because Medicare will pay 80% of the cost. Also, the requirements are less restrictive and only require a home diagnosis test to receive the machine.   The machines cost anywhere from $200 to $2300 and involve sleeping with a mask which is connected to the CPAP machine. The machine blows air into a person’s nose, thus keeping the airways open and eliminating snoring.
Although anti-snoring devices are a very popular solution for sleep apnea, you may not need to use any of these devices. Losing weight, avoid alcohol or sleeping pills before bedtime or sleeping on your side can eliminate the problem for some people. Before purchasing anti snoring devices, it’s important to check with your doctor and find out the cause of your snoring or sleep apnea so you can find the best solution for your sleeping disorder.
How is it dangerous to treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea with different anti snoring devices out on the market today? They may be ineffective, depending on the seriousness of the condition, but there is no overwhelming proof that is dangerous.
The problem with using an anti-snoring device is not all of these are FDA cleared to treat OSA! They are not all successful in treating OSA! This is dangerous to treat the medical condition OSA with an anti-snoring device.
Insurance companies are really cracking down on what they will pay for CPAP users. Most insurances require that you pass a compliance test in the first 90 days of CPAP use. You have to use the machine for at least 4 hours a night for 70% of the 90- days. Many people cannot do this becaue it takes some time getting used to the equipment. If you fail to be compliant, the insurace will no longer pay for the machine and you will most likley be labled with a pre-existing condisiton which will affect your future medical coverage.